Judge — May 28, 1887 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon depicts Lady Liberty (identifiable by her starred robe and crown) appearing sickly or dying, surrounded by gnarled, diseased trees. The OCR text is largely corrupted, but the caption clearly indicates this is satirizing the poor condition of labor in America. The imagery suggests that the nation's labor force—metaphorically represented as trees that should be healthy and productive—is instead withering under harsh conditions. The cartoon likely critiques exploitative working conditions, low wages, or inadequate protections for workers during the Gilded Age or Progressive Era when *Judge* was active. Lady Liberty's distress underscores the irony: a nation founded on freedom is failing to protect its workers' wellbeing.